Steam-generator.



No. 781,845. PATENTED FEB.v 7, 1905.

B. MUINTIRB.

STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLIUATIQN FILED JAN- 15. 1902. RENEWED SEPT. 8, 1904.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

B. MOINTIRE.

STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. 1902. RENEWED 51:21. a, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented February '7, 1905.

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STEAM-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,845, dated February '7. 1905.

Application filed January 15, 1902. Renewed September 8, 1904;. Serial No. 223,753.

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Be it known that l, BARTOLOMEW Molarrran, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Salvador, Republic of San Salvador, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators; and l hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in steam-generating apparatus, and especially to the class called water-tube boilers adapted for marine purposes.

My improvements consist in a central main shell or chamber containing water and steam spaces and provided with a series of generating water-tubes that lead downward from the water-space of the main vessel, are curved and return to the same, preferably entering the steam-space, each forming a continuous and uninterrupted conduit for the water and steam, with the distinction from common construction that the descending as well as the ascending portions of this series of tubes are of a continuous and uniform section throughout, not interrupted, and are exposed alike to the heat of the flame and hot gases in the furnace and combustion chamber, constituting the main portion of the effective heating or generating surfaces.

My improvements further include various constructive features correlated and in combination with the disposition and arrangement of the series of main generating water-tubes and their accessories, as will be hereinafter fully described, and illustrated by drawings that accompany and form a portion of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an effective water-tube steam-generator without joints, connections, interrupted passages, or increase of thickness in the tubes that may be injured by heat, attain rapid circulation and scour of the tubes to prevent sediment and incrustation, and to assimilate the heat in the tubes and contiguous spaces of the furnace in such degree as will secure effective and economic evaporation; also,to provide accessories contributory to thiszresult.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents in elevation and mainly in section a water-tube generator constructed according to my invention, the furnace-housing being omitted at the front; Fig. ll, an end view partly in section of Fig. l, some of the details being omitted. Fig. III. is a plan view of the same boiler and furnace, partly in section. Figs. 1V and V are diagrams showing different methods of disposing the evaporatingtubes. Fig. VI is a detail showing the overfiow-gates in the dams or interrupting divisions of the main shell.

In the varied arrangement of water-tube steam-boilers the evaporating-tnbes severally communicate with manifolds, chambers, or vessels of some kind, between which ve, is the water and steam circulate. Such disposition of the evaporating-tubes involves connecting joints of a thicker section than the tubes liable to injury when exposed to the extreme heat of the furnace; also, prevents free expansion and contraction of the tubes and introduces heating-surfaces not effective or less effective than that of the tubes them-- selves. In my improved construction of such steam-boilers each evaporating-tube acts independently, extending from and returning to the same source a main superimposed vessel or d rum containing steam and waterspaces, as hereinafter described.

Referring to Figs. .1, ll, and Ill, l is the main vessel or drum, and 2 the main evaporating-tubes connecting thereto. 3 is the chimney, and a a heatingapparatus or economizer through which the air-supply passes on its way to the furnace 7 is atraversing grate formed of chains, and 30 water-backs at the sides of the grates T. 8 is a primary heating apparatus for the supply-water, and 9 a steamsuperheating apparatus consisting of the drums l0 and 12 and connecting-tubes 13, which are exposed to the heat of the furnace. ll is an automatic apparatus for supplying fuel to the furnace, consisting of parts herein after explained, and 15 represents air-conduits from the heater st to the furnace 5. l7 represents swinging dashplates, that when a ship is rolling prevent the water in the boiler from flooding and chokmg the ends of the generating-tubes 2, and 18 represents launders that baflie and diffuse the water and steam entering from the tubes 2. 19 represents dams or divisions set transversely in the main shell 1, so that in case of a ship pitching the water will not all flow to one end of the shell, but remain distributed in sections. 20 represents gates that swing right and left each way to permit the water to assume a level in the main shell 1 when the latter is in its normal position.

The main generating-tubes 2, that connect the water and steam spaces 22 and 23 of the main shell 1, can be bent in a variety of forms, three of which are indicated in Figs. H, IV, and V, or in any other shape as the form of a furnace may demand and are fastened at their ends in the main shell 1 in the usual manner. These tubes 2 being of uniform section and the flow in them uninterrupted. there is a rapid circulation that scours and keeps them free from sediment or incrustation, while the manner of their distribution and connection permits an extensive heatingsurface, great freedom for expansion and contraction by varying temperature, also permits easy replacement of injured tubes.

The water-backs and 32 form an im portant portion of the heating-surface, being exposed to the extreme temperature at the sides of the furnace 34., Water is supplied to these water-backs through a pipe 24, leading from the bottom and rear end of the main shell 1, and steam generated therein is discharged into the steam-space 22 through a pipe 25, as shown in Fig. 1. Cross-pipes connect at 27 and 28 above the fire between the water-backs at each side of the furnace 5 and the gates 7. The tubes 29 of the water-backs are curved in form, as shown in Fig. '1, and connect to the manifold chambers 30 and 32, that have communicating nipples 33. These water-backs augment the evaporating-surface and protect the furnace sides 34 from the direct effect of the heat. The manifolds or side chambers 30 32 are preferably made with a vertical section about as deep as the fuel on the grates 7.

Referring, further, to the combustion elements, the grates 7 are composed of chains mounted on terminal rollers 35, that have holloW trunnions through which air can enter to theirinterior, as indicated at 37 in Fig. II, and thus prevent injurious heat. One or both of the rollers are made adjustable by any suitable means, so as to control the catenary of the chain grate 7. Movable bearings for this purpose can be of any suitable form and are omitted in the drawings. The chains that form the grate, part of which are shown in plan in Fig. I11, can be of common links of a round section or of any other suitable form and are supported at intermediate points on rollers 38, also provided with hollow gudgeons to admit air, as in the case of the end rollers 35. The ashes and other waste from the fire 5 are discharged at 39 and dragged forward by the grate-chains 7 to a discharge-door 40 at the front. By lateral adjustment of the end rollers 35 the chain grate 7 can be made to assume various degrees of undulation between the supporting-rollers, and thus disintegrate or break up the stratum of the burning fuel on its top, depending on the kind of fuel burned. The bearing-bars 48 are to sustain the chain grate at the sides and cause a slight curve transversely.

The furnace 5 is supplied with heated air through passages 15, that communicate With a series of cross-tubes 46, placed at the top of the furnace and in the path of the hot gases escaping to the chimney 3. These tubes 46 are of thin metal fastened in head-plates 43, forming a number of superimposed sections 44, arranged with bafiling-plates 45, that alternately direct the air right and left through the tubes 46, as indicated in Fig. II. These sections 44 can be more or less in number, and the air instead of entering freely or by the chimney-draft only, as indicated at 47, can be forced in by means of a fan or other pneumatic apparatus. While traversing the tubes 46 the air is heated by the hot gases passing to the chimney 3 and then passes down the flat conduits 15 to the furnace 5.

Fuel is supplied to the furnace 5 by automatic apparatus consisting of an elevator to raise the fuel, as at 64 in Fig. I, a trough or supply-box 65, having a rotary conveyer 70 therein, as indicated at 67 in Fig. III, that distributes the fuel equally across the Width of the grates 7, and gearing operated from a crank 68 on the conveyer-shaft 72 by a link 69 gives the chain grate 7 an intermittent traversing movement. This automatic fuelsupplying apparatus, it will be understood, is modified to suit the circumstances of erection, hence does not call for extended description.

Referring next to the supplywater for steam, this passes through a series of tubes 8, being forced into the top tier of these by any suitable connection to a pump, preferably entering at 49 in Fig. I at each side of the furnace and traverses these tubes 8 right and left through the manifolds 50 in the usual manner down to the last one, 52,at the front,from where it is conducted by a pipe or pipes 53 to a receiver 54. From this receiver 54 the water descends by pipes 55, one at each side, and is conducted to the rear end of the main shell 1 by pipes 57 and 58, as shown in Fig. I, and after passing though a water-regulator 59 enters the main shell 1 by the pipe 60. The pipes 57 and 58 pass through the top and hottest portionof the furnace and contiguous to the steam-superheating tubes 13, so the water before it reaches the main shell 1 is heated to or near the point of evaporation. Steam generated in the tubes 8, 57 or 58 rises and escapes from the headers 50 through the pipes 62 into the space 63 in the receiver 54. This space 63 in the receiver 54 is also connected with the steamspace in the main shell 1 by means of a pipe 82, that extends up near the top, as shown by dotted lines at 73 in Fig. I.

Referring next to the steam-superheating devices 9, these consist of a main drum 10, an auxiliary or dry drum 12, and a series of tubes 13, connecting these drums, as shownin Fig. I, the whole being exposed to the furnace heat, especially the tubes 13. Steam from the main shell 1 rises through the nipple 7 1 into the d rum 10, traverses the tubes 13, and enters the small drum 11, from where it passes through a stop-valve to an engine or for other use. A safety-valve T6 is attached to the drum 10, as shown in Figs. I and III.

Referring now to some of the operative features, the dash-plates 17 are required in marine boilers set fore and aft to prevent obstruction to the circulating inflow from the generating-tubes 2, that project a short distance into the chamber 22, as seen in Figs. IV and Y. These plates 17 are hinged to the top of the main shell at T7 and are provided with counterpoises T8,that keep the inturned flanges T9 against the wall of the main shell 1, so that the water sprayed from the launders 18 will descend to the water-line without passing through the steam-space 22.

The launder-troughs 18 are made of thin metal attached to the walls of the main shell 1, as seen in Figs. IV and V, and are preferably perforated with small holes, so that circulated water entering from the tubes 2 will be separated and diffused as it descends against the dash-plates 17.

The main generating-tubes 2 are made of a uniform length from the rear end to the grates T, arranged in double tiers, and from there to the front are made gradually shorter to form a sloping top over the fuel on the grates, thus providing a furnace converging rearward and directing the flame and hot gases uniformly among the tiers of tubes.

The inclosing walls 81 of the furnace are made of masonry or metal, accordingly as the boilers are used on the land or at sea.

Having thus explained the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to seeu re by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steam-generator,double tiers of pendent tubes 2, disposed at each side of the fur nace, of continuous and uniform bore, connecting at their ends to the steam and water s paces respectively of the main shell and grad ually reduced in length toward the front of the furnace to p rovide a converging furnace-space for fuel, substantially as specified.

2. In a steam-generator, a main shell,hinged dash-plates within said shell, launder-plates 18 aflixed within the main shell behind said dash-plates, and a double series of bent pendent water-tubes connecting to the main shell at each side, the upper ends of the tubes projecting through the wall of the main shell into the steam-space, above said launder-plates respectively, and the lower ends thereof connected to the main shell below the water-line, substantially as specified.

3. In a steam-generator, a main shell, means for converting the water into steam and circulating it from the water-space to the steamspace of said shell, transverse partitions in the water-space of said shell, and valve-gates in said partitions near the top on both sides, hinged at top and freely swingingoutward under the impulse of the moving water in the shell to permit a limited flow across the partition in either direction, substantially as specified.

a. In a steam-generater, the main shell l,the double series of pendent water-tubes 2, the latter continuous between these attachments and discharging into the steam-space of the main shell above the water-line, and in combination therewith hinged dash-plates having inwardturned flanges T9, and a eounterpoise to normally hold these flanges in contact with the wall of the main shell, substantially as specified.

5. In a steam-generator, a main shell, a double series of pendent water-tubes connected by their ends to the steam and water spaces of said main shell respectively, said series gradually reduced in length toward the front of the furnace, water-backs 30, 32 at the sides of the combustion-chainber, water-circulating tubes .29 connecting said water-backs, and connections from the latter to the steam and water spaces respectively of the main shell, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BARTOLOMElV MOINTIRE.

\Vitnesses:

ISABEL Tonnes, ANGEL M. VALVENTE. 

